Future Sommelier Program

Module 1: The Foundation – Wine Basics

and Sensory Perception

Participant’s Study Guide

Created 10/31/2013
Revised
Version 1.0
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Contents

Contents ............................................................................................................................................................ 3
Introduction to Wines ......................................................................................................................................... 4
Viticulture and Vinification.................................................................................................................................. 4
Types of Wine Grapes ....................................................................................................................................... 5
Wine Classifications .......................................................................................................................................... 6
Grape Varieties ................................................................................................................................................. 7
Chardonnay ....................................................................................................................................................... 7
Sauvignon Blanc................................................................................................................................................ 8
Pinot Grigio........................................................................................................................................................ 9
Cabernet Sauvignon .......................................................................................................................................... 9
Merlot .............................................................................................................................................................. 10
Pinot Noir ........................................................................................................................................................ 10
General Environment: Weather and Wine ....................................................................................................... 11
Types of Climates ............................................................................................................................................ 12
Climate Conditions .......................................................................................................................................... 12
Specific Environment: Terrior........................................................................................................................... 12
Dirt Matters ...................................................................................................................................................... 13
Wine Production 101 ....................................................................................................................................... 14
Harvesting ....................................................................................................................................................... 15
Brix .................................................................................................................................................................. 16
Types of Harvesting ......................................................................................................................................... 16
The Crush and Primary Fermentation .............................................................................................................. 17
Racking and Aging .......................................................................................................................................... 17
Blending and Clarification ................................................................................................................................ 17
Sensory Perception ......................................................................................................................................... 19
How Genetics and Life Experiences Affect Wine Choices ............................................................................... 19
What is Taste Sensitivity?................................................................................................................................ 21
Homework ....................................................................................................................................................... 22

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Introduction to Wines

There's enriching culture in wine! Culture can be found in the ritual of drinking it, appreciating the craft of the
winemaker and in the wine region or appellation where it's made.

The earliest evidence suggesting wine production comes from archaeological sites in Iran and Russian
Georgia, dating from 6000 to 5000 B.C. (before Christ). Wine has long been used in religious and important
cultural practices. Almost every culture and societal group on earth learned how to make simple alcoholic
beverages.

This is no mere accident; humans early on discovered the psychological effects that alcohol provides. Along
the way, they learned to like the affect and desired, and even craved, the effects of alcohol. Today many
important wine regions in Europe are proud of their wine histories, which they date back to the early Roman
era.

Wine itself can be sourced from any fruit juice, although it is most commonly known as the fermented liquid of
crushed grapes.

Viticulture and Vinification

The study of wine is separated into two different categories: viticulture and vinification, each of which is
equally important to understanding wines.

“Viticulture is where and how the grapes are grown”; it is the science, production and study of grapes which
deal with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. This can include anything from location, grape type,
plants surrounding the vineyard, length of time on the vine and many other factors.

Origin: vitis (Latin for vine) + culture

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Duties of the viticulturist include: monitoring and controlling pests and diseases, fertilizing, irrigation, canopy
management, monitoring fruit development and characteristics, deciding when to harvest and vine pruning
during the winter months. Viticulturists are often intimately involved with winemakers, because vineyard
management and the resulting grape characteristics provide the basis from which winemaking can begin.

When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is known as viniculture. Winemaking, or vinification, is the
production of wine, starting with selection of the grapes or other produce and ending with bottling the finished
wine.

Origin: vini (French for wine) + fication

A person who makes wine is traditionally called a winemaker or vintner. Winemaking can be divided into two
general categories: still wine production (without carbonation) and sparkling wine production (with carbonation
— natural or injected).

The science of wine and winemaking is known as oenology.

Types of Wine Grapes

The common grape vine is called Vitis vinifera. While the native
territory of Vitis vinifera is a band of area from Western Europe to
the Persian shores of the Caspian Sea, the vine has
demonstrated high levels of adaptability and will sometimes
mutate to accommodate a new environment after its introduction.
Because of this, viticulture can be found on every continent
except Antarctica.

All wine grapes can be classified into one of two categories: black
or white. However, a wine made from a black grape does not
necessarily mean it will be a red wine.

Top black grapes include: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Sangiovese and Carmenere.
Top white grapes include: Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc.

Although most wine is made from grapes, it may also be made from other fruits or plants. Mead is a wine that
is made with honey as the primary ingredient after water.

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Wine Classifications
All wines will fall into one of five classifications:

Table Wine
 May have an alcohol content that is no higher than 14% in the U.S.
 In Europe, light wine must be within 8.5% and 14% alcohol by volume; unless a wine has more than
14% alcohol, or it has bubbles, it is a table wine or a light wine
 Usually classified as "white", "red", or "rosé", depending on their color
 In Europe 'vins de table' (in French), 'vino da tavola' (in Italian), 'Tafelwein' (in German) or 'vino de
mesa' (in Spanish), which translate to 'table wine' in English, are cheaper wines that often do not
include grape variety or region of origin on the label

Sparkling Wine
 Contain carbon dioxide which is produced naturally from fermentation or force-injected later
 To have this effect, the wine is fermented twice, once in an open container to allow the carbon dioxide
to escape into the air and a second time in a sealed container, where the gas is caught and remains in
the wine
 Sparkling wines that gain their carbonation from the traditional method of bottle fermentation are
labelled "Bottle Fermented", "Méthode Traditionelle", or "Méthode Champenoise"; the latter designation
was outlawed for all wines other than Champagne (which for obvious reasons does not bother to utilize
it) in Europe in 1994

Aromatized/Aperitif Wine
 Have natural herbs, roots and/or spices added to give additional flavors
 This practice is believed to have begun in ancient Greece around 350 BC
 Additives were historically used to hide taste imperfections or to improve longevity; these have now
evolved into classic modern day styles which include vermouth, sangria, wine coolers and Maiwine
from Germany

Fortified Wine
 Wine with an added distilled beverage (usually brandy)
 Distinguished from spirits made from wine in that spirits are produced by means of distillation, while
fortified wine is simply wine that has had a spirit added to it
 Many different styles of fortified wine have been developed including Port, Sherry, Madeira, Marsala
and Commandaria

Dessert Wine
 Sweet wines range from slightly sweet to incredibly sweet (generally measured by the number of grams
of sugar per liter)
 Late harvest wines such as Spatlese, Botrytized wines and Ice Wines are found in this category and
generally will not fit into one of the above listed categories

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There is no simple definition of a dessert wine. In the UK, a dessert wine is considered to be any sweet wine
drunk with a meal, as opposed to the white fortified wines (fino and amontillado sherry) drunk before the meal,
and the red fortified wines (port and madeira) drunk after it. Thus, most fortified wines are regarded as distinct
from dessert wines but some of the less strong fortified white wines, such as Pedro Ximénez sherry and
Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, are regarded as honorary dessert wines.

In the United States, by contrast, a dessert wine is legally defined as any wine over 14% alcohol by volume,
which includes all fortified wines, and is taxed more highly as a result.

Grape Varieties
The variety of the grape used has the most influence on the final wine product.

Each grape variety has its own personality and will posses common traits no matter where it is grown. For
example, Muscat should always be spicy; Sauvignon Blanc, a touch herbal; Zinfandel is zesty, with pepper and
wild berry flavors; Cabernet Sauvignon is marked by plum, currant and black cherry flavors and firm tannins.
Understanding what a grape should be as a wine is fundamental; and knowing what a grape can achieve at its
greatest is the essence of fine wine appreciation. Only a few grapes are suited to produce fine quality wines.

Each grape variety also has climate and environmental preferences:

“Most red grapes need a longer growing season than do white grapes, so red grapes are usually planted in
warmer locations. In colder northern regions – in Germany and northern France – most vineyards are planted
with white grapes. In the warmer regions of Italy, Spain, and Portugal and in California’s Napa Valley, the red
grape thrives.” – Kevin Zraly, Windows on the World, Complete Wine Course, 09

Chardonnay
 The world’s most popular white grape; it is grown in virtually every wine-producing region
 America’s most popular wine (red or white)
 The world’s most widely planted white wine grape
 In general, produces wines which are dry to medium dry with
pear, apple, tropical or citrus fruit flavors
 Lends itself very well to oak aging; with the influence of oak, a
new flavor and aroma category is apparent
 When little to no oak aging occurs, tends to be more crisp and
fresh
 With extensive oak aging, become creamy and buttery with
vanilla, spice and oak flavors
 Thrives as the white grape of Burgundy and it produces
extraordinary wines

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  There are three distinctive styles in which Chardonnay is made:
– Crisp – little to no oak, no Malolactic fermentation, clean and sharp on the palate
– Oaky – aged in oak barrels, rounder and fuller on the palate, with additional flavors integrated
by the oak
– Elegant – complex and buttery
 Chardonnay is one of the principal grapes used to produce Champagne and is second, only behind
Pinot Meunier in plantings within Champagne

Malolactic fermentation is a second fermentation which changes malic acid, a sharp-tasting acid found in
grapes and green apples, to lactic acid found in milk, a mellower tasting acid which is found in dairy products.
Malolactic fermentation can be a factor in making a wine feel creamier in your mouth. One of the by-products
of this process is a chemical called diacetyl which is responsible for the buttery taste of some wines.

Sauvignon Blanc
 A taut, herbal and dry white wine grape offering distinctive flavors of citrus fruit, melon, fig and
sometimes grassiness
 Can also offer vanilla and creamy flavors when introduced to oak
 The name Sauvignon comes from the French sauvage, meaning wild; it is
fitting for a vine that if left to its own devices would grow with riotous
abandon
 In Bordeaux, virtually all white wines are made form a blend of Sauvignon
Blanc plus Sémillon
 In California, winemakers go out of their way to downplay Sauvignon’s
herbiness; often, the wine is barrel fermented and otherwise made like
chardonnay
 There are three distinct flavor profiles:
– Fruity – which often has no oak influence, boasts loads of citrus
fruit, particularly grapefruit, lemon, melon and gooseberry that
explode on the palate and in the aromas
– Grassiness – no matter where it is grown, often contains aromas and flavors of freshly cut grass
or herbal notes
– Creamier – hints of smoke and vanilla; these are often labeled Fumé Blanc, which is a
marketing name that was created to increase the sales of Sauvignon Blanc in California a
number of years ago. The oak influence often lowers the crispiness and zest of Sauvignon
Blanc and creates a wine which is more similar to Chardonnay in style.
 In the United States, Sauvignon Blanc, is produced in two styles; the first is made in a similar style to
that of New Zealand and the other is influenced by oak to produce a creamy style

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Pinot Grigio
 Thought to be a degenerative clone of Pinot Noir
 Normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name (gris meaning
"grey" in French) but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even
white appearance
 The word pinot, which means "pine cone" in French, could have been given
to it because the grapes grow in small pine cone-shaped clusters
 The wines produced from this grape also vary in color from a deep golden
yellow to copper and even a light shade of pink
 It is the same grape as Pinot Gris; Pinot Grigio is its Italian name
 Pinot Grigio produces a lighter, crisper style of wine than the Pinot Gris
which is grown primarily in the Alsace region of France

Cabernet Sauvignon
 The king of the red wine grape varieties
 While being challenged recently by Merlot, it is still one of the world’s most
popular and widely planted red wine grape varieties
 Offers wonderful flavors consisting of black currants, blackberry,
chocolate, tar and leather
 The beauty of this resilient red wine grape is the many different styles of
wine it is capable of yielding – from the fresh, easy drinking fruit forward
styles to the intensely big, dense and complex wines with firm tannins; it is
important to remember its versatility – its aromas and flavors are vast
 Like Chardonnay, loves oak aging
 There are 4 distinct styles in which Cabernet Sauvignon may be classified:
– Easy drinking, fresh and fruity style – these are made for everyday consumption and contain
little to no tannins
– Intense fruit, which explodes on the palate, and ripe, detectable tannins
– Elegant, more complex – soft, integrated tannins with succulent and velvety fruit flavors; pair
wonderfully with food
– Highly concentrated fruit style with firm tannins – these are full-bodied, dense and big Cabernets
which, with a little aging, will soften, revealing complex refined fruit flavors
 Produces memorable wines in Bordeaux, Australia, Chile, Washington State and Argentina
 There are some moderately priced and moderate tasting versions from Chile or France’s Languedoc-
Roussillon regions
 Some excellent cabernets come from Bordeaux, Sassicaia in Italy and Shafer Vineyards Hillside Select
in California
 The world’s most prized cabernets come from the Médoc where they are ranked from 1st - 5th growth
 Great cabernets need both oak and bottle aging to pull into harmony; it is arguably the most age worthy
dry wine produced

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Merlot
 Has captured the attention of the everyday wine consumer because of its
fresh, ripe fruit appeal
 Offers red fruit components such as cherry, plum and currants with hints of
cedar
 Its name means “little blackbird”
 Like Cabernet, the most famous region for Merlot has been Bordeaux,
where Merlot is the leading grape in total production
 Important as a single varietal and a blending agent
 Almost always blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and
possibly Malbec/Petit Verdot; one exception is Chateau Petrus (from
Pomerol) which is one of the world’s most expensive wines and is 99% Merlot
 Increasingly being sold as a varietal wine even in the Old World
 When Merlot grapes from great vineyards fully ripen, the tannin in them can come across as soft and
round; there are examples however, of Merlots that are anything but soft – like those from New York
State and Italy
 Diacetyl (butter flavor from malolactic fermentation) and vanilla acid (vanilla flavor from oak aging) are
common and often noticeable in Merlot produced in the US

Pinot Noir
 The name is derived from the French words for "pine" and "black"
alluding to the grape variety's tightly clustered dark purple pine cone-
shaped bunches of fruit
 The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot
Noir grapes
 Grown around the world, mostly in the cooler regions
 Chiefly associated with the Burgundy region of France, where all the
red wines, except Beaujolais, are made from Pinot Noir – it is the
most legendary area for the variety
 Super expensive and limited in production, red Burgundies are
described as some of the earthiest wines in the world
 A difficult variety to cultivate and transform into wine as it is thin-
skinned, late ripening, prone to rot and easily damaged by rough handling in the vineyard and winery
 Lighter in body and far less tannic than Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
 Wines are known for their elegance and refinement; they often possess an exotic bouquet along with a
velvety, mouth filling texture
 Exhibits flavors of ripe fruit, cherry, chocolate, toast and spices
 Pinot Noir is grown and made principally in California, France (Burgundy and Champagne – where with
Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, it is a component of Champagne), New Zealand and Oregon

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General Environment: Weather and Wine

Just like any fruit, the weather will have a big impact on the actual quality of the grape and the wine it makes.
The biggest example of this is the variations in vintages from the same winery year after year. The amount of
heat and rain will affect the amount of moisture, tannin and sugar in the grape.

Sun and Heat

Too much sun can bake acidity right out of the grapes, leading to flat, flabby wine, or cause hyperactive leaf
growth, shading the grapes from the sun and leading to off flavors in wine. As heat becomes excessive,
unprotected grapes begin to scorch and their leaves start to whither and burn. At about 104ºF, grapes start to
shrivel into raisins.

Wind

Although a gentle breeze is almost always good (it circulates the air and therefore cools down the grapes), a
harsh wind is a different story. A severe wind can prevent vines from setting properly, scattering the flowers
into the air so they never get the chance to become grapes. Harsh winds can break off tender parts of the
vine, bruise the leaves, rip away fruit and even produce a wind-chill factor that can adversely affect grapes in a
cooler climate.

Frost

Early fall frosts will ravage foliage, prevent the grapes from making their final push towards ripeness and may
even kill the younger vines. Spring frosts may kill buds and shoots and thus destroy the entire potential of the
year’s crops. Even in winter, when the vine is dormant, a cold snap may slip the trunk of the vine, opening it
up to infection and frostbite.

Water

Like sunlight, the water vines receive must be part of an overall balanced environment. There is no optimal
amount. How much water a vine needs depends on a number of factors, including the age and size of the
vines, the length of the growing season, wind, humidity, the drainage of the soil and the spacing of the vines.

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Types of Climates
Macroclimate is what exists in the grand scheme of things. It’s the overall climate of a specific region, like a
heavy fog that blankets the Russian River Valley, for instance.

Mesoclimate is what happens in a region on a smaller scale. The mesoclimate has variables in altitude, soil
types and the distance from a river. For example, fog will burn off further away from a river’s bank first and
evaporate to the river’s edge as it goes through the burning off process.

Microclimate is what exists within a few rows of a vineyard. It’s in the microclimate that vineyardists have the
most control of managing for distinct flavors and aromas of wine grapes and the resulting wine. This is the
reason why we’re continually reading about this particular climate over all the others.

Climate Conditions
Cooler Weather Conditions
 Wines are generally clean and crisp and will be “greener” in flavor; these flavors lean towards less fruit
and more spice, floral and herbal notes
 Wines will generally have more acidity than warmer weather wines

Warmer Weather Conditions

 These wines are generally full flavored, big, fruity and rich
 Also generally higher in alcohol content

Specific Environment: Terrior

Terroir is the set of special characteristics that the geography, geology and climate of a certain place,
interacting with the plant's genetics, express in agricultural products such as wine, coffee, chocolate, tomatoes
and tea. Terroir can be very loosely translated as "a sense of place," which is embodied in certain
characteristic qualities, the sum of the effects that the local environment has had on the production of the
product.

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The concept of terroir is at the base of the French wine appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) system that has
been the model for appellation and wine laws across the globe. The concept has also crossed to other
Protected Appellations of Origin to products such as cheese.

Dirt Matters
The composition and size of the soil will help define its overall category. The three main types of soil are sand,
silt and clay.

Sand
 Warm, airy soil that is composed of tiny particles of weathered rocks
 Sandstone is a sedimentary soil composed of sand particles that has been pressure bound by various
iron-based minerals
 One of the few soils that the phylloxera louse does not thrive in, the soil drains well but does not have
good water retention

Silt
 Soil type consisting of fine grain deposits that offer good water retention but poor drainage; it is more
fertile than sand
 Is granular material of a size somewhere between sand and clay whose mineral origin is quartz and
feldspar
 Silt may occur as a soil or as suspended sediment (also known as suspended load) in a surface water
body; it may also exist as soil deposited at the bottom of a water body
 Generally found near lakes

Clay
 Soil that has good water retention ability but poor drainage
 The soil is often very cool and high in acidity

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Wine Production 101
1) CRUSHER - Grapes are conveyed to a de-stemmer/crusher where grape leaves and stems are
removed and grapes are crushed.

 White wine juice is normally separated from the skins and seeds at this point; it will proceed to
pressing before fermentation.
 Red wine juice will remain with the skins and seeds and will be fermented before pressing.

2) FERMENTATION - Most red grapes go to the fermenter for primary fermentation while most white
grapes are pressed prior to fermentation. Yeast is added to start the fermentation.

 Fermentation is the process by which the grape juice turns into wine. The simple formula for
fermentation is: Sugar + Yeast = Alcohol + Carbon Dioxide. Fermentation begins when the
grapes are crushed and ends (traditionally) when the alcohol reaches about 15%, the point at which
all of the sugar has been converted.

3) PRESS - After fermentation, red wines go to press to separate the wine from the grape skins.

4) TANK - Most wines are settled in large stainless steel or upright oak tanks.

 The size of the stainless steel tanks and origin of oak will make a difference in flavor.

5) BARREL - After settling, red wines and fuller-bodied white wines are put into small oak barrels for
barrel aging.

 There are many different types of barrels that wine can age in, although the main origins of these
barrels are France, America and Hungary.
 Oak barrels impart flavors and tannins, both of which are desirable for most red wine as well as
some white wines.

6) FILTER - After barrel aging and prior to bottling, some wines are filtered to help stabilize and clarify
them.

 This is a step used by winemakers to clarify wine just prior to bottling. The purpose of filtering is to
remove yeast cells and other microorganisms that could spoil the wine, as well as any remaining
sediment that would keep it from being clear.

7) BOTTLE - Finished wines are bottled.

8) AGING - (OPTIONAL) Wines may be aged further in a bottle.

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Harvesting
Determining when to harvest is 100% dependent on the vintner. It
will vary on what kind of grape they are growing, what kind of wine
they are making and how warm and/or cool the season.

Grapes are picked when they reach the proper sugar/acid ratio for
the style of wine the vintner wants to produce.

In the Northern Hemisphere, September and October grapes are

the sweetest. The harvesting season is different in the Southern
Hemisphere; there, grapes will be sweetest in March and April.

In both cases, the months of sun have given sugar to the grape as
result of photosynthesis.

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Brix
Named for A.F.W. Brix, a nineteenth-century German inventor, the Brix scale is a system used in the U.S. to
measure the sugar content of grapes and wine.

The Brix content is determined by a hydrometer, which indicates a liquids specific gravity (the density of a
liquid in relation to that of pure water). Each degree of Brix is equivalent to 1 gram of sugar per 100 grams of
grape juice. The traditional Brix reading is between 20 and 25º.

Types of Harvesting
Harvesting can be done either by hand or machine, the choice being decided by the type of wine to be made,
financial considerations and topography.

Mechanical Harvesting

Advantages:
 Very efficient; machines work quickly by shaking the vine and collecting the berries which fall off
 Can operate 24 hours/day
 Operates at a much more inexpensive rate than traditional hand-picking

Disadvantages:
 Requires considerable investment, which can be a problem for smaller producers
 Selects all of the grapes at the same time, regardless if they are healthy or ripe
 Is only feasible on flat or gently sloping, dry land
 Includes many more leaves, stems and branches from the vine
 Can break and damage the skin of the grape

Hand-Picked Harvesting

Advantages:
 Allows for selection of the grapes; unripe or rotten grapes can be left on the vine or discarded
 Can reach vines in confined spaces or on steep inclines
 Less damage occurs to the grapes as bunches are harvested whole; a huge benefit because
oxidation begins once the grape has been punctured
 Hand harvesters also use smaller containers to transfer the grapes, which helps in reducing the
amount of grapes damaged during harvest

Disadvantages:
 Slow, labor intensive and expensive – many more hands involved in the picking process

Most high quality producers opt for hand picking. The additional costs are well worth the selective process
involved when hand pickers decide which clusters to harvest and which to leave behind.

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The Crush and Primary Fermentation
During primary fermentation, the yeast cells feed on the sugars in the must and multiply, producing carbon
dioxide gas and alcohol.

The temperature during the fermentation affects both the taste of the end product, as well as the speed of the
fermentation. For red wines, the temperature is typically 71-77°F (22-25°C), and for white wines 59-64°F (15-
18°C).

For every gram of sugar that is converted, about half a gram of alcohol is produced. To achieve a 12% alcohol
concentration, the must should contain about 24% sugar.

Racking and Aging

Racking is the process of siphoning off the clear juice from the sediment that has fallen to the bottom of the
container either naturally or with the help of fining agents. During the winemaking process, racking can occur
three or four times before the wine is clear. After racking, some wines are filtered prior to bottling to remove
remaining unwanted particles.

The aging process varies by grape varietal, region, vintage and winemaker. This process can take place in
large oak casks, smaller oak barrels, stainless steel tanks, concrete tanks and even in the bottle.

Blending and Clarification

Fining/clarification agents are used during winemaking to remove tannins, reduce astringency and remove
microscopic particles that could cloud the wines. The winemakers decide on which fining agents are used and
these may vary from product to product and even batch to batch, usually depending on the grapes of that
particular year.

At this point, the wine can be blended across various vintages or different barrels from the same vintage to
ensure uniformity. Several different batches can be made then siphoned off into bottles.

There are three common ways to seal a bottle of wine: a cork, a synthetic cork, and a metal screw cap.

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The common question: To Age or Not to Age?

 It is a common misconception that all wines improve with age. In fact, more than 90% of all the wine in
the world should be consumed within one year and less than one percent of the world’s wines should
be aged for more than five years.

 What would make a wine age well for upwards of five years: the color of the grape, the vintage, where
the wines come from, how the wine was made and how the wine has been stored.

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Sensory Perception
When one evaluates wine, one uses some of the same sensory principles that one might use when evaluating
food items, although certain principles will be specifically focused on when evaluating wines as opposed to say
evaluating broths, sauces, gravies, etc.

Something as simple as the relative humidity and temperature in

one’s environment can sometimes affect our sensory perception
of both food and wine. So, sensory perception really involves an
interaction between the entire human organism and his or her
environment.

Just as to a certain extent we “feast with our eyes” so-to-speak,

we also involve more of our senses in a “Wine Tasting”
experience. Such “tasting” really involves using more than just your sense of taste! All of your chemical
perceptions of the wine can be recorded, as well as your visual impression of it.

A guest’s background, education and personal preferences will help you decide what type of wine they will like.
However, sommeliers’ background, education and personal preferences will help them to understand what
wines their customers will like as well.

How Genetics and Life Experiences Affect Wine Choices

Genetics play a big role in determining whether a person will like or dislike a specific wine. The main genetics
factor that influences an individual’s perception of the flavor of a wine is the amount of taste buds on his/her
tongue. According to research at Oxford University, every individual has a different amount of taste buds on
their tongue. The study separated the population into three groups:

 Supertasters – carry a double trait which carries each flavor to

an extreme, especially those that are bitter such as coffee,
grapefruit and soy products

 The Middle Ground – the Average Joe

 Non-Tasters – this group of individuals has a muted sense of

each flavor profile, bringing many flavors to the middle ground

However, taste buds aren’t the only aspect of genetics that influence
an individual’s perception of wine. Genetics also affect an individual’s
view of colors and depth perception, for example.

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The life experiences of a guest can also have an effect on the wine that they choose. Guests may recognize
names of producers from their neighborhood grocery stores, be partial to wines from a specific country they
have visited or even be attracted to a specific grape varietal or wine color due to a past experience with wine.

In an attempt to better understand the differences between individuals, several groups are sometimes
identified: Sweet, Hypersensitive, Sensitive and Tolerant.

Sweet
 You Want Sweet. Period. You need to stand up for your rights, demand what wine you like with your
foods and be confident – YOU have the most taste buds.

Hypersensitive
 Delicacy over power. Want wines with less bitterness. High alcohol burns. 100 point wines often hurt.

Sensitive
 Intensity and balance are important. SMOOTH is king. Tend to like a broad range of styles. Higher
tolerance for oak – or may not like oak at all.

Tolerant
 Love intensity and power. Bigger is better. Alcohol tastes sweet – literally. The 100 point system
makes complete sense.

The Sweet Guest

The general assumption is that the sweet guest is typically female and younger. She might enjoy wines such
as Sweet Rieslings and Moscatos.

Many of the guests in this category don’t know much about wine. They generally know that they prefer sweet
wines, but get lost easily in the jargon and overwhelming complexity of wine.

To satisfy this guest, it is important not to overwhelm them and to support their decision. Speak to them in a
way in which is fun and keeps them excited about trying new wines and expanding their palate.

The Tolerant Guest

This customer is one who is all consumed in what others might think about a bottle of wine. Strong and bold
flavors will not bother them.

Many of these guests will like to talk the wine talk with you. They know what they like, because others have
told them or rated them high. They are looking for big, bold, balanced and power driven wines.

To satisfy this guest, it is important to help build their ego. Keep conversation going about their wine choice,
the point’s (ratings) people have given it and about the strong defining characteristics it possesses.

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What is Taste Sensitivity?
Taste sensitivity refers to the intensity with which you perceive tastes and flavors.

People with high taste sensitivity experience tastes, and usually smells too, as being very strong. They are
also able to distinguish individual flavors in a mixture very well.

For people with low taste sensitivity, tastes, smells and flavors are not as strong, and they come as a "package
deal."

Highly sensitive Moderately

tasters sensitive tasters

Mildly sensitive tasters

The flavor of food is The flavor of food is
The flavor of food is not that important
important important
Great variation in the
Many foods liked;
number of foods
few foods disliked;
liked; often Many foods liked; few foods disliked; not passionate about food
often passionate
passionate about
about food
food

Is one individual’s taste sensitivity better than another?

 NO! Greater (or lesser) sensory sensitivity does not make a person more expert or capable – just
different.

Does taste sensitivity influence wine choice?

 YES! The influence that taste buds have over the way an individual or guest perceives taste will
drastically affect their choice of wine.

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Homework
1. What is the only grape type that can generate wine?
___ _________________ _____ _____

2. Name at least three different grape varietals of each category:

Black:
a) ________________________________
b) ________________________________
c) ________________________________
White:
a) ________________________________
b) ________________________________
c) ________________________________

3. Which grape varietal is considered to be one of the toughest grapes to grow due its thin skin, but is said
to be one of the oldest cultivated grapes in the world?
_______________________________________________________________________________

4. Describe the difference between viticulture and vinification.

_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

5. Describe the differences between Microclimates, Mesoclimates, and Macroclimates.

_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

6. Describe terroir and how it might affect a wine.

_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

7. The unit of measure of the amount of sugar in a grape is called?

_______________________________________________________________________________

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8. Name the two different techniques used to harvest wine grapes.
a) ________________________________
b) ________________________________

9. Describe a wine that a Sweet Guest might enjoy.

_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

10. Describe the type of wine that cold climate grapes create:
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

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